OF 


PR/% 


;  h  ^  c  s 

1     o 


H3C5 


A  iftHtoriral  ^rotton 


PREACHED   IN 


Christ  Church 

HARTFORD,  CONN. 

February  9,  1902. 


2U&.  flprmatm  ICUmtiljal,  ULA- 


CHRIST  CHURCH  PARISH— A  Century  of  its  History, 
and  a  Look  into  the  Future. 


A  Sjtfiinrirai  ii^rmnn 

PREACHED    IN 

Christ  Church,  Hartford 

gmn&ap  Jflorntng;,  JFcbrttarp  9, 1902 


By  the  Rev.  Hermann  Lilienthal,  M.A. 


fffil 


PRINTED  BY  REQUEST 


The  Case,  Lockwood  &  Brainard  Company,  Printers 


HISTORICAL  SERMON. 


"Walk  about  Zion,  and  go  round  about  her,  and  tell  the 
towers  thereof;  mark  well  her  bulwarks,  set  up  her  houses, 
that  ye  may  tell  them  that  come  after."  — Psalm  xlviii:  ii,  12. 

In  Dr.  Hoadly's  "Annals  of  the  Episcopal 
Church    in    Hartford "    it    is    recorded    that 
"on  the  12th  of  July,  1801,  it  was  voted  that 
the  Rev.  Menzies  Rayner  of  Elizabethtown, 
N.  J.,  be   requested   to   take  charge  of  the 
church  at  a  salary  of  $600  a  year,  to  com- 
mence from  the  20th  of  August  then  next, 
an  invitation  which  was  accepted  ;  and  thus 
after  struggling  for  nearly  forty  years  the 
parish  became  completely  organized."     The 
"  Episcopal   Society "   was  now   ecclesiastic- 
ally as  well  as  legally  complete  by  having 
a  rector.     The  beginnings  of  Christ  Church 
parish   date   back   to    1762,  when   the   Rev. 
Thomas  Davies,  a  graduate  of  Yale,  and  a 
missionary  of   the  S.  P.  G.,  was   invited  to 
hold   a  service   in   Hartford.     This   he   did 
some  time  between  January  and  April,  and 
in  October  of  this  same  year  certain  adher- 
ents of  the  Church  of   England   associated 
themselves  together,  and  for  ^80  bought  a 
piece  of  land   on   what  is  now  the   north- 


east  corner  of  Church  street.  Stones  were 
purchased,  and  a  foundation  was  laid  for 
a  church,  but  a  period  of  depression  set 
in,  and  the  few  Episcopalians  found  them- 
selves unable  to  raise  money  sufficient  to 
erect  a  church.  Further,  they  had  to  con- 
tend with  the  bitter  prejudice  of  Congre- 
gationalists  and  Presbyterians,  who  were 
strongly  opposed  to  what  they  deemed 
"prelatical"  churches,  and  hindered  their 
establishment  by  all  means  possible.  To 
add  to  the  distress  of  this  little  band,  one 
of  them  illegally  sold  the  lot  that  had  been 
bought,  and  the  purchaser,  relying  on  his 
legal  rights,  entered  the  property,  "  broke  up 
the  foundations  of  the  church,  and  carried 
away  the  stones,  which  he  used  for  the  foun- 
dation of  a  house  he  was  then  building." 
The  land  eventually  was  restored  in  1785  to 
the  "professors  of  the  Episcopal  Church," 
but  not  until  they  had  paid  /60  additional 
for  renewed  possession. 

Meanwhile,  the  Revolutionary  War  came 
on,  when  the  Episcopal  Church  and  clergy 
were  viewed  with  a  "jealous  eye  as  danger- 
ous to  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  liberties 
of  the  country."  During  the  trying  years  of 
the  war  it  is  doubtful  whether  any  services 
of  our  church  were  maintained  in  Hartford. 
But  after  the  Revolution  was  successfully 
ended,  and   peace  once  more   prevailed,  on 


November  13,  1786,  fifteen  men  came  to- 
gether, signed  an  article  of  association,  and 
formed  an  Episcopal  society.  Let  me  give 
you  the  very  words  of  the  agreement,  and 
the  names  of  the  signers  :  — 

Hartford,  Novr  13th  1786. 
We  the  underwritten  do,  by  these  Presents  Associate 
ourselves  into  a  Religious  Society,  by  the  Style  and  Title 
of  The  Episcopal  Society  of  the  City  of  Hartford,  under 
the  Direction  and  Government  of  the  Rt.  Revd  Bisp  Sea- 
bury,  &  the  Episcopal  Clergy  of  the  State  of  Connecticut 

William  Adams  Stacy  Stackhouse 

Jno°  Morgan  Cotton  Murray 

John  Thomas  Isaac  Tucker 

Jacob  Ogden  Wm  Burr 

Sam1  Cutler  Elisha  Wadsworth 

Thomas  Hilldrup  John  Avery 

Jn°  Jeffery  Aaron  Bradley 
George  Burr 

Thus  was  reorganized  the  initial  effort  of 
1762,  and  these  associates  became  the  found- 
ers of  the  present  parish  of  Christ  Church. 
The  article  of  association  and  names  of  these 
fifteen  men  deserve  to  be  commemorated  by 
a  mural  tablet  set  in  the  wall  of  the  vesti- 
bule of  this  church,  where  the  worshipers 
and  visitors  daily  and  weekly  as  they  pass 
in  and  out  may  for  unnumbered  generations 
know  who  the  men  of  faith  and  courage 
were  who  laid  the  foundations  of  this 
parish. 

And  here  it  may  be  observed  that  a  parish 


is  often  what  it  is  because  of  the  character 
of  its  founders.  A  parish  is  an  organism, 
manifesting  its  own  individual  development, 
characteristics,  and  spirit.  It  displays  in  its 
histor}^  some  dominant  character  or  trait 
impressed  upon  it  by  some  of  its  strong  and 
leading  original  members;  and  so  parishes 
may  manifest  faith  or  loyalty,  generosity  or 
gentleness,  justice  or  integrity,  vigor  or  im- 
partiality; or,  on  the  other  hand,  they  may 
manifest  opposite  characteristics  of  coldness, 
unkindness,  quarrelsomeness,  restlessness, 
inactivity,  or  penuriousness.  It  becomes, 
therefore,  a  matter  of  vital  importance  in 
the  life,  growth,  and  future  of  an}^  parish 
that  it  should  start  right,  be  built  upon  the 
eternal  principles  of  loyalty  to  God  and 
charity  to  man,  and  not  on  the  unstable 
foundations  of  opinion,  pride,  or  dissension. 
Schisms  produce  chasms,  and  controversies 
catastrophes. 

These  new  associates  of  1786  at  once 
bestirred  themselves  for  the  building  of  a 
church  on  the  recovered  land,  and  by  sub- 
scriptions, mostly  in  building  material  and 
labor,  and  even  in  spirits,  the  new  church, 
after  many  delays,  was  at  length  finished, 
and  in  all  probability  opened  for  use  in  the 
latter  part  of  1795,  when  Mr.  Calvin  Whi- 
ting, a  candidate  for  orders,  was  acting  as 
lay-reader.     Thus  the  hope  of  many  years 


was  at  last  realized,  and  though  it  was  a 
little  band  gathered  together,  it  was  a  com- 
pany in  which  were  found  indomitable  cour- 
age, generous  self-sacrifice,  large  liberality, 
and  loyal  faith.  Could  we  but  enter  into 
the  experience  and  feelings  of  some  of  those 
hearts,  — that  now  at  length  in  their  own 
house  of  worship  they  could  praise  God  after 
the  manner  of  their  fathers,  and  in  accord- 
ance with  their  deep  convictions,  —  we  might 
find  our  own  convictions  deepened  and  our 
devotion  strengthened.  The  church  stood 
on  the  northeast  corner  of  Church  street, 
was  built  of  wood,  and  when  completed  was 
considered  the  handsomest  church  in  the 
place.  Mr.  Whiting,  who  officiated  in  1 795, 
died  the  same  year,  and  the  parish  found 
itself  without  any  officiant.  March  4,  1797, 
the  Rev.  Ashbel  Baldwin  of  Stratford  was 
invited  to  become  rector  of  the  parish  at  a 
salary  of  $500  a  year.  But  he  declined  the 
call,  deeming  the  salary  insufficient.  A  few 
years  elapsed  when  on  July  12,  1801,  the  Rev. 
Menzies  Rayner  of  New  Jersey  was  elected 
to  and  accepted  the  rectorship  of  the  parish, 
and  entered  upon  his  duties  the  same  year. 
Thus  in  1801  the  organization  of  this  parish 
was  completed,  the  centennial  anniversary 
of  which  occurred  last  year,  but  passing  un- 
noticed then,  I  wish  now  to  recall  to  your 
mind,  and  note   as  briefly  as   possible,  the 


8 

century  of  history  of  this  parish  since  that 
date.  My  effort  is  made  easy  because  of  the 
abundant  material  furnished  by  the  "History 
of  Christ  Church  Parish,"  a  book  written 
and  compiled  by  a  member  of  this  parish, 
honored  and  revered  by  you  all,  one  whose 
life  has  overlapped  the  lives  of  every  one  of 
the  rectors  of  this  parish,  and  who  has  seen 
and  known  nearly  all  of  them,  and  whose 
devotion  and  fidelity  to  this  parish,  whose 
unselfish  service  and  many  benefactions  and 
gifts  have  given  their  crowning  expression 
in  the  preparation  of  a  history  such  as  no 
one  else  living  could  so  well  do,  because 
of  long  and  intimate  experience  of  parish 
affairs  and  personal  intercourse  with  the 
many  departed  worthies  whom  his  pages 
so  nobly  commemorate.  That  this  history 
might  be  permanently  preserved  in  printed 
form  for  reference  for  all  time  is  due  to  the 
well-known  generosity  of  another  member  of 
this  parish.  Those  who  would  like  to  know 
more  details  than  I  can  attempt  to  tell  }^ou 
this  morning  are  referred  to  this  "  History 
of  Christ  Church  Parish." 

To  return,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rayner,  the  first 
rector,  was  settled  in  1801,  and  his  settle- 
ment was  marked  by  the  consecration  of  the 
church  by  Bishop  Jarvis  on  November  11, 
1801,  "a  very  rainy  day."  The  comment  of 
the  Courant  regarding  the  service  was,  "the 


solemnity  of  the  performance  was  highly 
gratifying,  manifested  by  a  decent  audience, 
considering  the  inclemency  of  the  day."  It 
must  have  been  a  great  day  of  rejoicing  in 
the  parish,  the  members  of  which  at  this  time 
numbered  but  a  faithful  few.  The  attempt 
to  maintain  their  organization  taxed  to  the 
utmost  these  early  churchmen.  Rates  were 
occasionally  laid  on  the  taxable  property  of 
the  members  of  the  society  which  could  be 
legally  collected,  but  this  taxing  —  obnoxious 
even  to  members  of  the  standing  order  and 
most  objectionable  to  those  not  of  this  order — 
was  early  discontinued  by  the  parish,  which 
then  depended  for  its  income  chiefly  on  the 
rent  of  pews  and  slips  and  voluntary  offer- 
ings of  its  members.  When  this  resource 
failed  to  meet  the  expenses  a  subscription 
would  be  started  to  make  up  the  deficit. 
Hence,  with  a  prescience  worth}7  a  better 
outcome,  the  then  senior  warden,  Mr.  John 
Morgan,  in  April,  1807,  moved  to  secure  an 
endowment  fund.  He  went  to  New  York, 
and  with  the  approval  and  assistance  of  its 
diocesan,  Bishop  Moore,  raised  among  the 
churchmen  of  that  city  the  sum  of  $445.  To 
this  was  added  a  sum  derived  from  the  sale 
of  a  piece  of  land,  and  a  few  other  contribu- 
tions, so  that  by  December,  1807,  the  amount 
was  brought  up  to  $800,  and  formed  the 
nucleus  of  the  parish  endowment  known  as 


io 

the  "  Episcopal  Church  Fund,"  the  history  of 
which  has  its  dark  as  well  as  bright  side. 

Mr.  Rayner  ministered  to  the  parish  from 
1 80 1  until  October  14,  181 1,  when  he  resigned. 
He  was  a  man  good-natured  and  affable,  and 
of  considerable  controversial  ability.  But 
towards  the  end  of  his  stay  his  teachings 
became  less  acceptable.  In  181 1  he  accepted 
a  call  to  another  parish,  but  after  some  years 
resigned  from  the  ministry  of  our  church  to 
join  the  Universalists,  though  in  his  letter  of 
resignation  to  the  bishop  he  states,  "  I  shall 
still  humbly  claim  to  be  considered  as  a 
member  of  the  church,  entitled  to  all  its  com- 
mon privileges."  Bishop  Brownell's  words 
referring  to  Mr.  Rayner's  suspension  are  full 
of  tender  charity.  Said  he,  "  We  may  regret 
the  cause  which  has  led  to  [this  withdrawal]. 
We  are  not  to  be  judges  of  other  men's  con- 
sciences. To  his  own  Master  he  standeth  or 
falleth."  Mr.  Rayner  died  in  New  York 
November  22,  1850. 

After  Mr.  Rayner  resigned  the  parish,  the 
Rev.  Philander  Chase  —  later  bishop  success- 
ively of  Ohio  and  Illinois  —  was  called  to 
the  rectorship.  Mr.  Chase  was  a  man  of 
unusual  ability  and  of  a  masterful  nature. 
In  his  "  Reminiscences,"  Bishop  Chase  thus 
recalls  his  Hartford  life :  —  "  During  this 
period  (his  rectorship)  the  number  of  the 
faithful  greatly  increased.     I  rejoiced  to  see 


T  I 


the  blessed  effects  of  the  gospel  of  peace  and 
the  many  examples  of  a  faithful  and  holy 
life.  In  the  bosom  of  an  enlightened  society, 
softened  by  the  hand  of  urbanity  and  gentle- 
ness, my  enjoyments  crowned  with  abund- 
ance of  temporal  blessings  were  as  numerous 
and  refined  as  fall  to  the  lot  of  man.  Of  the 
time  I  spent  in  this  lovely  city  I  can  never 
speak  in  ordinary  terms.  It  is  to  my  remem- 
brance as  a  dream  of  more  than  terrestrial 
delight."  Mr.  Chase  resigned  the  parish  in 
February,  1817.  The  reason  for  his  leaving 
was  due  entirely  to  diocesan  and  not  paro- 
chial causes.  This  is  made  evident  in  a 
letter  of  his  to  the  standing  committee  of  the 
diocese.  He  writes,  "  My  reasons  for  leaving 
are  couched  in  this  one  sentence  —  I  am 
persuaded  that  I  can  be  more  useful  to  the 
Church  of  Christ,  and  more  happy  in  my 
own  person,  elsewhere  than  in  the  diocese  of 
Connecticut."  Mr.  Chase's  removal  to  Ohio 
was  greatly  regretted  by  the  parish,  which 
had  prospered  under  him.  During  his  rec- 
torship a  bell,  the  third  in  the  city,  was 
bought  and  hung  in  the  church  tower.  A 
parish  library  was  started,  a  new  organ  was 
bought  and  put  in,  and  in  the  winter  of  181 5 
the  church  was  for  the  first  time  warmed, 
when  chimneys  were  built  and  stoves  set  up 
in  the  church. 

But  the  parish  could  not   indulge   in  re- 


12 

grets,  and  its  attention  was  soon  directed  to 
Mr.  Jonathan  Mayhew  Wainwright,  an  in- 
structor in  rhetoric  in  Harvard,  but  as  yet 
unordained.  Mr.  Wainwright  accepted  the 
call  extended  to  him,  was  ordained  deacon 
in  Rhode  Island,  and  advanced  to  the  priest- 
hood in  his  own  church,  August  16,  1817, 
after  which  he  was  settled  as  rector.  His 
recommendation  was,  "  he  is  a  young  gentle- 
man of  respectability,  of  the  most  unexcep- 
tionable character,  ardent  and  sincere  in  the 
performance  of  his  duties,  is  much  beloved 
as  a  man,  and  reads  to  great  satisfaction." 
Mr.  Wainwright  remained  only  two  years  in 
the  parish  when  he  was  called  to  fill  the 
place  vacated  in  Trinity  parish,  New  York, 
by  Bishop  Brownell,  who  had  become  bishop 
of  Connecticut.  Years  afterward  Mr.  Wain- 
wright became  the  provisional  bishop  of 
New  York. 

After  Mr.  Wainwright's  removal,  Bishop 
Brownell  —  nomen  et  clartim  et  venerabile  — 
long  the  revered  bishop  of  Connecticut,  and 
the  presiding  bishop  of  the  church,  was 
asked,  December  16,  18 19,  to  become  the 
rector  of  the  parish.  He  accepted  on  condi- 
tion of  being  provided  with  an  assistant. 
But  the  bishop's  duties  to  the  church  at 
large  and  diocese  made  it  inexpedient  for 
him  to  continue  as  rector  of  any  parish,  and 
November   11,    1820,  he  resigned,  when  the 


13 

Rev.  N.  S.  Wheaton,  the  assistant  rector, 
was  elected  to  full  charge.  I  may  perhaps 
here  rather  than  later  indicate  the  esteem  in 
which  Dr.  Wheaton  was  held  by  a  vote 
passed  at  the  time  of  his  resignation,  Octo- 
ber 13,  1831.  "When  we  look  back  for  a 
series  of  more  than  twelve  years,  when  we 
bring  to  mind  how  great  has  been  the  acces- 
sion of  parish  members,  how  many  have 
been  added  to  our  communion,  what  har- 
mony has  prevailed  and  prosperity  attended 
our  parish  in  all  respects,  by  the  blessing  of 
God  through  the  unceasing  labors  and  pious 
administration  of  him  who,  during  that  pe- 
riod, has  served  at  our  altar,  mingled  in  our 
affections,  and  secured  our  approbation  and 
esteem,  his  loss  to  us  collectively  and  indi- 
vidually can  be  duly  appreciated  only  by  a 
just  estimate  of  the  blessings  we  have  thus 
enjoyed."  This  vote  indicates  the  prosper- 
ity which  was  attending  the  labors  of  Dr. 
Wheaton. 

The  parish  was  still  worshiping  in  the 
wooden  church  on  the  corner  opposite  to  us. 
Changes  in  the  arrangement  of  the  church 
were  needed  to  accommodate  the  growing 
congregation.  The  old  square  pews,  includ- 
ing the  so-called  governor's  pew,  which  had 
a  canopy  over  it,  were  removed  and  slips 
substituted,  but  even  these  changes  were  in- 
sufficient to  meet  the  need  of  increased  sit- 


H 

tings.  This  demand,  together  "  with  that 
pride  in  appearances  which  affects  saints 
as  well  as  sinners,"  created  a  desire  for  a 
"  larger,  more  convenient,  and  ecclesiastical 
structure."  Hence  in  1825  began  an  agita- 
tion for  a  new  church.  Dr.  Wheaton,  while 
abroad  in  1824  on  business  for  the  college 
which  had  been  newly  established  in  this 
city,  had  paid  much  attention  to  church  ar- 
chitecture, and  it  is  more  than  likely  he 
would  favor  a  new  church  in  which  he 
might  embody  some  of  his  new  architectu- 
ral knowledge.  How  well  he  builded  we 
can  today  testify.  After  many  meetings  for 
considering  the  subject,  a  lot  for  the  new 
church  on  Market  street,  between  Temple 
and  Kinsley,  was  bought  March  20,  1827.  It 
may  seem  strange  that  this  site  was  selected, 
"  but  in  1827  the  population  was  more  homo- 
geneous than  now,  and  lay  east  of  Trumbull 
street  almost  entirely."  This  location,  how- 
ever, did  not  give  general  satisfaction  and 
was  sold,  and  the  present  site  of  the  church 
was  bought.  Ground  was  broken  for  the 
new  church  in  the  summer  of  1827,  the  cor- 
ner-stone laid  by  Bishop  Brownell,  May  13, 
1828,  and  the  building  operations  pushed 
with  so  much  energy  that  the  church  —  the 
tower  excepted  —  was  finished  and  ready  for 
consecration  December  23,  1829.  In  the  ab- 
sence of  Bishop  Brownell,  Bishop  Hobart  of 


i5 

New  York  officiated  at  the  consecration. 
One  who  was  present  on  this  occasion  wrote 
to  a  friend  :  "  We  had  a  noble  consecration 
Wednesday,  as  fine  a  one  as  could  be  wished 
for,  the  weather  was  fine,  and  every  nook 
in  the  church  was  filled  to  overflowing. 
Bishop  Hobart,  who  does  all  his  Episcopal 
duties  well,  never  performed  a  service  more 
admirably.  I  never  witnessed  a  service 
more  impressive  from  beginning  to  end ; " 
and  so  great  was  the  demand  for  pews  in 
this  new  church  that  the  same  writer  states  : 
"  from  present  appearances  I  should  think 
the  church  will  be  filled  to  crowding  in  a 
year  or  two."  This  was  gratifying,  but  it  is 
yet  to  be  asked :  "  How  was  the  building 
paid  for  ? "  The  cost  up  to  this  point  for  the 
land,  church  without  the  tower,  and  organ 
was  in  round  numbers  $43,700.  The  limit 
the  parish  had  first  placed  for  this  new  pro- 
ject was  $28,000,  but  as  generally  happens  the 
cost  went  far  in  excess  of  this  first  proposed 
sum.  To  raise  this  sum  the  parish  proposed 
to  borrow  by  the  issue  of  stock  upon  which 
interest  was  paid.  The  first  issue  of  stock 
was  for  $28,000,  of  which  $20,000  was  sub- 
scribed by  individuals,  but  the  other  $8,000 
had  to  be  obtained  somehow. 

In  its  need  the  parish  bethought  itself  of 
the  "  Episcopal  Church  Fund,"  an  endow- 
ment which  has  been  mentioned.     The  nu- 


i6 

cleus  of  this  fund  had  been  secured  in  1807, 
and  the  parish  by  vote  then,  and  later  in 
i8iobya  constitution  determined  "that  no 
part  of  the  principal  or  interest  arising  from 
same  [fund]  should  be  applied  to  any  pur- 
poses of  this  parish  save  only  to  establish  a 
fund  until  the  income  from  same  should 
amount  to  $500 ; "  and  it  was  also  ordained 
that  this  vote  should  be  irrevocable.  So 
careful  was  the  parish  in  18 10  to  keep  intact 
this  fund  until  it  should  have  reached  such 
a  sum  as  to  produce  an  annual  income  of 
$500,  that  it  repeats  in  its  constitution :  "  It 
is  ordained  that  this  parish  shall  not  ever 
thereafter  expend  anything  more  than  the 
interest  or  income  arising  from  this  fund, 
and  that  the  principal  shall  not  under  any 
pretense  whatever  ever  be  expended  either 
wholly  or  in  part ; "  and  the  parish  explic- 
itly declared  its  purpose  was  to  "  adopt  all 
prudent  precautions  to  guard  against  the  in- 
judicious expenditure  or  misappropriation 
of  this  fund,  or  any  part  of  it,  by  any  per- 
sons who  may  hereafter  in  the  vicissitudes 
of  human  affairs  belong  to  this  parish,  and 
be  in  a  situation  to  direct  or  misemploy  the 
income  of  this  fund."  By  such  definite 
terms  did  the  parish  endeavor  to  guard  this 
fund  from  being  diverted  or  misappropri- 
ated. Under  Mr.  Charles  Sigourney's  care- 
ful nursing  the  $800  of  1807  had  in  1830  m- 


i7 

creased  to  $8,500,  and  was  earning  an  income 
of  $500.  The  need  of  money  to  build  the 
new  church  caused  the  parish  to  turn  to  this 
fund,  and  in  order  to  gain  possession  of  it  a 
vote  was  passed  "that  immediate  measures 
be  taken  to  procure  trustees  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  Fund  with  a  view  to  its  more  certain 
preservation."  The  grim  humor  of  this  vote 
must  have  been  evident  when  later,  by  vote, 
the  amount  of  the  fund,  $8,500,  was  with- 
drawn from  the  bank  and  invested  in  the 
parish  scrip  issued  for  the  building  of  the 
present  church.  This  proposed  step  of  the 
parish  was  vainly  opposed  by  Mr.  Charles 
Sigourney,  who  resisted  any  diversion  of  the 
fund  from  the  original  intent  for  which  it  was 
established,  and  who  foresaw  —  should  such 
diversion  occur  —  what  the  event  proved, 
that  the  fund  would  vanish.  Mr.  Sigourney 
had  subscribed  towards  the  new  church  but 
on  the  condition  that  the  Episcopal  Church 
Fund  should  not  be  invested  in  church  scrip. 
When  his  conditions  were  broken  he  would 
not  pay  his  subscription,  thus  publicly  testi- 
fying to  his  convictions  as  to  the  sacredness 
of  trust  funds.  The  parish  historian  com- 
ments on  this  diversion  of  the  fund  thus  : 
"To  us  at  this  day  it  seems  rather  queer, 
and  certainly  it  appears  as  if  the  original 
intent  of  the  fund  had  been  diverted  and 
put  to  a  use  not  originally  contemplated." 


It  is  not  asserted  that  this  diversion  was 
strictly  illegal,  for  legislative  enactment  had 
been  obtained  for  the  purpose,  but  our  histo- 
rian well  remarks  :  "  If  the  example  should 
be  generally  followed,  it  would  probably  dis- 
courage many  gifts  for  the  establishment  of 
specific  funds,  gifts  made  for  a  certain  object 
and  with  the  expectation  of  a  long  continu- 
ance." Thus  the  Episcopal  Church  Fund  so 
carefully  nursed,  the  product  of  much  sacri- 
fice, the  hopeful  source  of  strength  and  bene- 
fit to  the  parish  for  ages  to  come,  was  lost  in 
the  walls  of  this  church.  I  have  dwelt  at 
length  on  this  matter  because  of  the  import- 
ance of  the  subject.  For  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  the  parish  today  holds  trust 
funds  the  application  and  the  preservation 
of  which,  according  to  the  donor's  intent, 
call  for  serious  and  sacred  guardianship. 
Some  of  these  funds  "are  composed  of  the 
last  earthly  gifts  of  men  and  women  who 
can  no  longer  watch  or  control  them ;  they 
become  the  pious  offerings  of  hearts  soft- 
ened by  a  contemplation  of  death,  or  affected 
by  a  desire  to  help  the  sick  and  the  poor  who 
may  live  after  them.  All  the  funds  of  this 
character  should  be  placed  beyond  the  line 
of  speculative  investment  or  temptation  of 
extraordinary  interest The  watchful- 
ness which  is  due  to  our  moneyed  corpora- 
tions is   equally    due  —  yes,    more   due  —  to 


19 

the  trusts  of  our  religious  societies,"  so 
writes  our  historian.  In  our  parish  organi 
zations  in  which  the  official  generations 
quickly  change,  it  does  seem  as  if  the  se- 
cure guarantee  of  trust  funds  is  possible 
only  when  placed  in  the  hands  of  some  cor- 
poration other  than  the  parish  itself.  The 
temptation  in  some  emergency  to  help  itself 
to  trust  funds  in  its  own  possession  is  often 
too  strong  for  a  parish  to  resist.  Thus  par- 
ishes have  lost  their  endowments,  or  have 
impaired  them  seriously,  and  have  proved 
unfaithful  to  the  conditions  under  which 
such  trusts  were  accepted.  It  seems  there- 
fore far  safer  could  the  endowment  of  our 
parishes  be  placed  under  the  care  of  a  char- 
tered corporation  such  as  that  of  the  Trust- 
ees of  Donations  and  Bequests  of  our  dio- 
cese, or  trust  company,  as  is  the  case  with 
some  of  the  trust  funds  of  this  parish. 

But  I  must  pass  on  from  this  most  import- 
ant aspect  of  parish  integrity. 

The  completion  of  the  new  church  in  1829 
may  be  said  to  mark  the  close  of  the  first 
period  of  the  history  of  this  parish,  extend- 
ing from  1786  to  1829,  when  it  was  emerging 
from  the  shadow  of  colonial  and  revolution- 
ary experiences  ;  and  to  mark  the  beginning 
*of  the  second  period  of  its  history  from  1829- 
1879,  when  it  manifested  its  larger  life  by 
changing  its  local  habitation.     It  may  not  be 


20 

inappropriate,  therefore,  to  recall  here  once 
for  all  some  of  the  honored  names  of  the 
parish  of  both  these  periods,  who  by  their 
labors  and  benefactions  have  made  this  par- 
ish what  it  was  and  is.  In  the  words  of  the 
Son  of  Sirach :  "  Let  us  now  praise  famous 
men  and  our  fathers  that  begat  us.  The 
Lord  hath  wrought  great  glory  by  them. 
Such  as  were  leaders  of  the  people  by  their 
counsels,  and  by  their  knowledge  of  learning 
meet  for  the  people  —  men  furnished  with 
ability  living  peaceably  in  their  habitations. 
These  men  were  honored  in  their  genera- 
tions, and  were  the  glory  of  their  times. 
There  be  of  them  that  have  left  a  name  be- 
hind them  that  their  praises  might  be  re- 
ported. These  were  merciful  men  whose 
righteousness  hath  not  been  forgotten."  And 
the  name  that  stands  out  distinguished  above 
all  others  is  that  of  Mr.  John  Morgan.  He 
was  one  of  the  associates  of  1786  who  re- 
vived the  Episcopal  church  in  this  commu- 
nity after  the  Revolution,  and  from  that 
date  until  1820  —  a  period  of  thirty-four 
years  —  he  faithfully  served  this  parish  as 
junior  warden  for  fourteen  and  senior  war- 
den for  twenty  years.  Mr.  Hoadly  says,  in 
his  "Annals,"  of  Mr.  John  Morgan,  "that  to 
his  zealous  labors  and  liberal  contributions* 
the  parish  was  indebted  for  its  temporal 
prosperity  more  than  those  of  any  other  in- 


21 


dividual."  One  has  only  to  read  the  history 
of  the  parish  of  this  first  period  to  realize 
the  truth  of  this  statement  There  was 
scarcely  a  parish  subscription  in  those  days 
—  and  they  were  frequent,  for  the  needs  of 
the  young  parish  were  many  —  which  Mr. 
John  Morgan  did  not  head  with  a  generous 
sum,  generally  the  largest  on  the  list.  It 
was  he  who,  with  a  foresight  worthy  a  better 
outcome,  raised  the  first  $445  for  the  parish 
endowment.  He  was  a  native  of  Killingly 
and  a  graduate  of  Yale.  He  came  to  this 
city  about  1781,  became  one  of  its  leading 
merchants,  and  was  connected  with  many 
undertakings.  The  old  bridge  across  the 
Connecticut  was  projected  by  him,  and  the 
street  leading  to  it  was  called  by  his  name. 
He  was  a  foremost  leader,  capable  and  will- 
ing. One  who  remembered  him  in  his  later 
years  after  financial  disaster  befell  him  says 
of  Mr.  Morgan:  "As  seen  upon  the  streets, 
tall  and  thin,  supported  by  a  long  gold- 
headed  cane,  he  was  sure  to  attract  atten- 
tion by  his  venerable  appearance,  dignified, 
courteous,  and  sometimes  brusque  manner. 
If  he  had  any  prejudices  he  did  not  attempt 
to  conceal  them.  He  was  bold  and  bluff, 
but  warm  at  heart.  He  was  ardent  as  a  sup- 
porter, generous,  dogmatic,  well  fitted  to 
command.  Authority  became  him  well,  and 
when  irritated  he  never  failed  to  assert  it. 


22 

He  was  a  churchman  because  he  believed  in 
the  church,  and  possibly  also  because  he  did 
not  believe  in  Congregationalism."  He  gave 
to  the  church  not  only  his  money  but  also 
what  was  more  valuable,  his  time  and  loy- 
alty. Perhaps  we  scarcely  realize  today  the 
value  of  such  service  and  attachment  to  the 
church  when  it  was  poor,  despised,  and  re- 
garded with  suspicion,  as  our  church  was 
after  the  Revolution.  The  value,  therefore, 
of  a  man's  services  and  attachment  —  bold, 
loyal,  constant,  and  generous  —  in  that  day 
is  beyond  estimation  today.  It  is  easy  to 
attach  oneself  to  prosperous  undertakings 
and  popular  religious  organizations.  Most 
people  can  shout  for  and  desire  to  ally  them- 
selves with  a  successful  cause ;  but  it  de- 
mands character  to  side  with  the  weak,  the 
despised,  the  poor,  hence,  attachment  under 
these  latter  circumstances  is  of  far  greater 
value  than  attachment  in  prosperous  and 
successful  times.  I  cannot  but  regard  Mr. 
John  Morgan  as  the  great  dominant  charac- 
ter of  this  parish.  The  printed  page  which 
records  his  deeds  and  words  has  made  him  a 
real  personage  to  me.  I  seem  to  know  him, 
and  I  say  it  with  truth,  I  revere  his  memory. 
He  is  a  founder  of  whom  any  parish  may  be 
proud.  It  was  a  fitting  act  of  courtesy  for 
the  parish,  when  financial  difficulties  had 
beset  him,  to  vote  unanimously  its  thanks  to 


23 

him  for  his  thirty-four  years  of  long  and 
faithful  services  as  a  warden  of  the  parish, 
and  later  vote  "  that  S.  Tudor  and  C.  Sigour- 
ney  call  on  John  Morgan,  Esq.,  request  him 
to  designate  where  he  would  prefer  to  be 
seated  in  the  church,  and  that  two  seats  be 
reserved  for  him  and  Mrs.  Morgan  where  he 
may  select."  One  thing  is  still  lacking  com- 
pletely to  mark  the  gratitude  of  the  parish. 
There  should  be  some  visible  and  lasting 
memorial  of  him  somewhere  in  this  church. 
And  what  shall  I  more  say  of  other  departed 
worthies?  I  would  like  to  recall  for  you 
some  of  the  characteristics  of  other  honored 
names  and  benefactors  of  this  parish,  but 
time  would  fail  me,  and  your  patience  would 
also  fail.  I  can  only  mention  some  —  all  de- 
parted—  as  they  occur  most  readily  to  my 
mind.  There  were  the  Sigourneys,  the 
Morgans,  Elias,  the  brother  of  John,  Nathan 
and  Denison,  and  later  Junius  S.,  James 
Ward  and  Roswell  Bartholomew,  the  Ol- 
cotts,  Daniel  and  Michael,  Cyprian  Nichols 
and  Stedman,  Jeremy  Hoadley  and  Isaac 
Perkins,  the  Beachs,  father  and  sons,  Sam- 
uel Tudor  and  Isaac  Toucey,  the  Imlays 
and  Goodwins,  Dudley  Buck  and  Zephaniah 
Preston,  the  Tuttles  and  Huntingtons,  Sam- 
uel H.,  Hezekiah,  and  Francis  J.,  Ebenezer 
Flower  and  Chester  Adams,  the  Beresfords 
and   Sumners,  the   Northams   and   Keneys, 


24 

and  many  others  whose  names  I  would 
gladly  record,  and  whom  you  would  gladly 
hear,  but  time  forbids  me  to  continue.  But 
they  all  —  recorded  and  unrecorded  —  are 
names  that  thrill  us  with  emotion  for  all 
their  possessors  did  to  make  this  parish 
strong  and  honored  in  our  community.  It 
could  not  help  be  so  when  "  it  was  custom- 
ary to  find  whole  families  in  their  pews  ;  the 
father  and  mother  with  all  their  children 
who  were  able  to  attend."  Our  historian 
tells  us  that  in  Mr.  Burgess's  days  "  the 
church  was  filled  regularly  Sundays  on  the 
floor  and  in  the  galleries ;  and  from  the 
chancel  to  the  eastern  door  there  was  a 
crowd  of  men,  women,  and  children."  A 
noble  sight  indeed. 

The  congregation  had  become  so  great 
that  the  need  of  a  new  church  building,  if 
not  separate  parish,  was  strongly  urged.  As 
a  result  of  this  pressure  in  1841  the  new  par- 
ish of  St.  John's  was  formed.  Many  of  the 
parishioners  thought  the  mother  parish 
would  be  weakened  by  this  separation,  but 
before  migration  ceased  two  other  parishes 
were  destined  to  be  formed,  viz.,  Trinity, 
which  was  organized  in  1859,  and  took  from 
Christ  Church  some  of  its  oldest  and  most 
valued  members  ;  and  St.  Thomas,  organized 
in  1870,  which  withdrew  many  more  from 
the  parent  parish. 


25 

Whether  it  was  due  to  the  large  congrega- 
tions which  used  to  assemble  in  the  church, 
or  whether  decorum  in  God's  house  was  lax, 
it  is  interesting  to  note  that  so  late  as  No- 
vember, 1836,  the  vestry  appointed   "a  com- 
mittee to  see  that  tything  men  be  appointed 
by  the  town  for  the  ensuing  year  who  will 
perform  their  duties  in  the  galleries."     There 
are  also  votes  passed  that  the  wardens  and 
vestry  be  a  committee  to  preserve  order  in 
the  church,  particularly  on   Christmas  eve 
when  service  used  to  be  held.     For  in  the 
middle  of  the  last  century  the  churches  other 
than  Episcopal  did  not  observe   Christmas 
with  religious   services,   and  except  in  the 
case  of  Episcopalians  business  went  on  as 
usual,  workmen  followed  their  trades,  and 
merchants  opened  their  stores. 

One  feature  of  interest  in  the  history  of 
the  parish  would  be  to  trace  the  develop- 
ment of  the  music  in  our  church  service 
from  its  beginnings.  In  1801,  the  year  in 
which  the  first  church  was  consecrated,  an 
organ  was  put  in,  the  first  in  Hartford.  It 
was  a  small  affair,  not  more  than  five  or  six 
feet  wide.  For  the  use  of  this  organ,  and 
for  an  organist  to  play  on  "  each  whole  Sun- 
day and  on  publick  days,"  the  vestry  agreed 
to  pay  $2  a  week.  From  this  small  begin- 
ning to  the  vested  choir,  which  was  perma- 
nently established  in   1886  under  Mr.  (now 


26 

Bishop)  Nichols,  meant  many  changes  and 
many  differences  of  opinion.  The  first  or- 
gan owned  by  the  church  was  purchased  by 
subscription  in  1817,  another  was  put  in  in 
the  new  church  in  1829,  while  the  last  one 
purchased  is  that  now  in  use,  and  was  set  up 
so  late  as  1889.  There  were  times  when  the 
singing  was  far  from  satisfactory,  and  on 
one  occasion  a  very  strong  report  on  the 
subject  of  the  music  was  brought  in  by  a 
committee,  of  which  Mr.  Samuel  Tudor  was 
chairman.  He  disliked  innovation  or  florid 
music,  and  urged  that  "  the  old  familiar 
tunes  are  to  be  preferred,  both  because  they 
are  good  and  because  we  are  generally  ac- 
quainted with  them."  Congregational  sing- 
ing was  what  he  desired.  He  urged  that 
there  was  no  more  need  of  novelty  and  fre- 
quent change  in  tunes  than  there  was  need 
of  change  in  our  service  —  the  prayers,  the 
litany,  and  the  communion  office.  But  there 
was  one  long  period  of  general  satisfaction 
and  calm  when  Mr.  Henry  Wilson  for 
twenty-two  years  had  charge  of  the  music 
and  organ. 

But  music,  the  support  of  public  worship, 
and  the  outlay  incident  to  the  maintenance 
of  any  parochial  organization,  involves  con- 
siderable expense,  which  it  has  been  ob- 
served is  generally  met  by  a  comparative 
few.     So,  too,  in  the  case  of  debts,  the  bur- 


27 

den  has  fallen  as  a  rule  on  the  generous  few. 
Some  system  of  equitable  distribution  of  the 
burdens  and  obligations  of  a  parish  is  yet  to 
be  discovered.  "  In  the  much  abused  sys- 
tem of  freedom  in  this  country  men  often 
resort  to  presumptions  and  evasions  which 
cannot  be  justified  by  any  proper  sense  of 
morals,  or  by  their  duty  to  support  public  re- 
ligious worship,  which  is  one  of  the  safe- 
guards of  the  state.  Respectable  persons 
and  pecuniarily  prosperous  have  wished  for 
that  kind  of  liberty  which  made  them  free, 
free  to  come  and  free  to  go,  free  to  remain 
and  enjoy,  and  free  not  to  contribute." 
When  at  length,  after  long  years  of  debt, 
this  parish  was  at  last  free,  it  passed  a  vote 
declaring  against  the  creation  of  any  future 
debt,  and  affirming  it  a  Christian  duty  so  to 
economize  expenditures  that  they  should  not 
exceed  the  annual  income.  Nothing  is  so 
vital  to  the  well-being  and  success  of  a  par- 
ish as  living  within  its  income,  and  no  pains 
should  be  spared  by  parochial  authorities  to 
keep  within  such  limits.  The  wreck  of 
numberless  parishes  is  due  to  parochial  ex- 
travagance. Competition  in  attractions  ex- 
ists among  parishes  as  among  individuals. 
And  ruin  is  certainly  in  sight  when  expenses 
are  maintained  without  income  sufficient  to 
meet  these  expenses. 

The  second  period  of  this  parish's  life  may 


28 

be  said  to  extend  from  1829  to  1879,  when 
the  semi-centennial  of  the  consecration  of 
this  present  church  was  celebrated.  This 
occasion  marks  the  completion  of  the  church 
in  its  architectural  features.  The  tower  had 
been  added  in  1839,  and  forty  years  later  the 
memorial  recess  chancel,  as  it  now  exists  in 
all  its  beauty,  was  completed.  The  celebra- 
tion in  1879  is  relatively  so  recent  that  I 
need  do  nothing  more  than  refer  to  it  as  be- 
ing one  of  the  most  successful  parish  cele- 
brations ever  attempted. 

No  history  would  be  complete  were  not 
reference  made  to  the  many  memorials  and 
gifts  wmich  beautify  and  adorn  this  noble 
fane  of  worship.  The  chancel,  chapel,  and 
parish  buildings,  the  reredos  and  alms  ba- 
sins, the  chancel  window,  the  vases,  the  cre- 
dence and  part  of  the  communion  vessels, 
the  chancel  rail  and  bishop's  chair,  the  fonts 
in  both  church  and  chapel,  the  stained  glass 
windows,  the  paintings  on  either  side  of  the 
chancel  arch,  the  new  organ,  and  the  rectory, 
all  are  memorials  or  gifts  from  devoted  and 
loyal  members  or  friends  of  this  parish. 
Reference  should  also  be  made  to  the  va- 
rious funds  for  various  purposes  which  have 
been  left  to  the  parish.  Some  of  these  gifts 
have  been  large,  some  small,  but  all  alike 
testify  to  the  devotion  of  those  who,  now 
worshiping  no  more  in  earthly  courts  of  the 


29 

church  militant,  made  provision  so  far  as 
they  could  that  prayer  and  praise  should 
never  cease  in  this  beloved  church  below, 
and  that  here  the  poor  might  find  refresh- 
ment, and  the  weary  rest. 

Of  the  rectors  of  the  first  period  I  have 
already  spoken.    Of  those  since  1 829  I  can  but 
briefly  recall  their  names,  Smith  and  Burgess 
and  Chauncey.  The  first  and  last  stayed  each 
but  a  year  or  two,  but  the  name  of  Bishop 
Burgess  of  sainted  memory  is  still  a  benedic- 
tion in  some  of  the  families  of  this  city.  Then 
there  was  Dr.  Clark,  still  alive  and  now  the 
venerable  and  revered  presiding  bishop  of  our 
church,  noted  while  here  for  his  eloquence 
and  attractiveness.      After  him  came  Aber- 
crombie   and  George    Clark,  brother  to  the 
bishop,  and  Meech,  the  latter  two  still  living. 
Of  the  remaining  rectors  who  still  live  in 
what  I  venture  to  call  the  third  period  of  this 
parish,  from  1879  and-  on>  wnen  begins  what 
[  may  call  the  institutional  phase  of  parish 
work,  and  the  era  of  organization  made  pos- 
sible by  the  facilities  offered  by  the  parish 
buildings,   the   memory   of   them  is  still  so 
fresh  that  I  need  only  mention  their  names, 
Nichols,  Tomkins,  Saltonstall.     But  during 
the  hundred  years  in  which  this  parish  has 
been  fully  organized  for  the  work  of  Christ 
among   men  and   for  the  preaching  of   the 
gospel   of  redemption,  it   has  been  loyally 


3o 

served  by  faithful  priests,  as  rectors  and 
assistant  ministers,  some  of  them  men  of 
exceptionable  ability. 

The  worth  of  their  service  and  teaching  is 
evident  in  the  churchmanship  of  the  parish, 
which  has  adhered  loyally  to  the  "  doctrine, 
discipline,  and  worship  "  of  this  church,  has 
carefully  avoided  extremes  and  eccentricities 
in  ceremony,  and  "has  pursued  its  middle 
way  in  peace  and  quietness,"  in  the  mainte- 
nance of  a  service  orderly,  rubrical,  and  dig- 
nified. 

Such  is  in  brief  the  history  of  the  parish 
during  the  last  one  hundred  years  as  regards 
its  organization,  its  edifices,  its  worthies,  its 
rectors,  its  beneficences,  its  churchmanship, 
and  ere  we  close  let  us  take  a  quick  look  into 
the  future  to  see  what  hope  we  may  find  for 
it  from  this  survey  of  the  past. 

Think  first  what  changes  this  parish  has 
seen  in  our  land  since  in  1786  those  few 
churchmen  associated  themselves  to  form 
an  Episcopal  society  in  Hartford.  In  na- 
tional life,  these  thirteen  struggling  colonies 
have  passed  through  two  wars  with  England, 
and  become  a  nation  which  has  survived  a 
civil  strife  that  threatened  its  existence  ;  has 
waged  successful  war  with  Spain,  and  now 
stretching  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
and  from  the  lakes  to  the  gulf,  reaching  still 
further  east  to  the  islands  of  the  Atlantic, 


3i 

and  west  to  the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  the 
parish  has  seen  these  thirteen  colonies  con- 
solidated into  a  Union  of  forty-five  States, 
and  admitted  today  one  of  the  great  powers 
of  the  world. 

In  home  affairs  the  parish  since  its  origin 
has  seen  the  colony  become  a  state  marked 
by  the  enterprise  of  its  citizens,  and  noted 
for  the  "  steady  habits  "  of  its  people  ;  a  state 
which  has  grown  marvelously  in  wealth  and 
culture,  which  in  1818  made  a  resettlement 
of  its  political  and  religious  relations,  and 
which  today  once  more  in  a  constitutional 
convention  in  our  city  is  endeavoring  to  re- 
adjust its  political  relations  to  its  changed 
conditions. 

In  civic  affairs  the  parish  has  seen  the 
small  settlement  of  Hartford  expand  into  a 
large  city,  until  its  limits  have  become  co- 
terminous with  the  former  town  limits  ;  its 
population,  which  was  homogeneous  and 
about  5,500  in  numbers,  confined  mostly  be- 
tween Main  street  and  the  river,  become  a 
heterogeneous  population  of  over  80,000 
souls,  spreading  for  miles  north,  west,  and 
south  of  its  former  boundaries.  It  has  seen 
the  small  settlement  become  the  sole  capital 
of  the  State,  a  city  noted  for  its  higher  insti- 
tutions of  learning,  its  schools,  hospitals, 
charities,  libraries,  museums,  and  parks ;  a 
city  noted  for  its  insurance,  industrial,  and 


32 

commercial  interests,  and,  relatively  to  its 
population,  one  of  the  richest  cities  in  the 
United  States ;  a  city  distinguished  for  its 
citizens  who  have  achieved  eminence  in  na- 
tional and  state  administrations,  for  its  men 
and  women  renowned  in  literature  and  art, 
in  science  and  theology. 

In  its  individual  life  the  parish  has  had 
a  large  development.  The  small  wooden 
church  on  the  northeast  corner  of  our  street 
has  been  replaced  on  the  present  site  by 
this  solid  and  noble  structure  in  which 
we  worship  today,  beautifully  adorned  and 
equipped,  rich  in  memorials  in  stone  and 
tile,  in  painted  wall,  and  painted  glass, 

"  Of  storied  windows  richly  dight, 
Casting  a  dim  religious  light;  " 

fragrant  with  the  memory  of  a  long  succes- 
sion of  noble  men  and  women  who  during 
these  one  hundred  years  made  up  the  con- 
gregation—  some  of  them  well  known  and 
prominent  in  this  community,  others  hum- 
ble, perhaps  little  known  or  altogether  un- 
noticed, yet  God-fearing  and  God-loving, 
whose  prayers  have  risen  like  holy  incense 
to  the  Divine  throne,  and  whose  lives  have 
been  a  benediction  to  the  parish  and  their 
fellow-men. 

How  changed  seems  the  picture  as  we  look 
on  things  as  they  are  today.      The  circum- 


33 

stances  as  they  existed  fifty  years  ago  have 
greatly  altered.  This  church  is  now  far 
away  from  the  residential  center.  Further, 
the  organization  of  other  parishes  has  drawn 
from  this  parish.  But  should  these  changed 
conditions  depress  us,  or  should  this  not  fill 
us  with  determination  and  zeal  to  make  the 
future  of  this  parish  more  glorious  even  than 
its  glorious  past  ?  Have  you  not  much  more 
than  what  your  early  predecessors  possessed? 
These  walls  seemingly  built  for  centuries  to 
come  should  be  the  type  of  the  parish  itself, 
—  strong,  unshaken,  large,  and  inviting  — 
calling  to  the  thousands  that  throng  b}r  its 
doors,  enfolding  them  in  its  arms,  and  bring- 
ing to  them  the  consolations  and  hopes,  the 
strength  and  the  joy  of  the  Gospel ;  a  parish 
preaching  and  testifying  to  the  one  gospel  of 
Christ  for  all  men,  for  the  poor  as  well  as  for 
the  rich,  a  gospel  unchanged  and  unchang- 
ing despite  the  vagaries  of  thought ;  a  parish 
holding  firmly  and  staunchly  to  evangelic 
truth  and  apostolic  order,  holding  fast  to  the 
moorings  of  the  ancient  faith,  while  others 
are  perhaps  swept  awa}^  from  the  standards 
of  their  faith  and  go  drifting  into  the  cheer- 
less regions  of  vague  speculation  or  uncer- 
tainty. What  we  need  if  we  are  still  to 
minister  to  men  is  a  gospel  of  certainty  not 
doubt,  of  affirmations  not  negations,  a  firm 
faith,   not   inconstant  opinion  :    we   need    a 


34 

certain  grasp  of  the  promises  of  God  and 
hope  of  life  in  His  Son  for  the  hopelessness 
prevailing  as  to  any  future,  for  the  disbelief 
which  says  "  There  is  no  God." 

Further,  we  must  be  hopeful  and  consider 
that  if  in  the  fourth  decade  of  the  last 
century,  when  the  population  of  Hartford 
ranged  from  10,000  to  13,000,  this  church  was 
crowded,  surely  in  the  larger  Hartford  with 
its  80,000  it  should  still  be  possible  to  fill  this 
church.  To  do  this,  however,  hope  and  con- 
fidence are  needed  in  you,  the  members,  to 
say  it  can  be  done  and  will  be  done.  This 
calls  for  loyalty,  zeal,  constant  attendance, 
and  constant  labor.  It  calls  for  warm  invita- 
tions to  your  friends  and  acquaintances,  and 
your  courtesy  and  hospitality  to  strangers 
who  may  happen  in  your  midst.  Your 
eyes  need  to  look  for  the  light  and  the  suc- 
cesses before  you,  not  on  the  victories  behind 
you,  but  with  heart  and  will  and  strength 
rejoicing  in  what  you  have,  you  may  make 
others  appreciate  and  rejoice  in  what  you 
have  to  offer.  This  means  that  the  services 
must  be  made  helpful  and  attractive,  that 
your  methods  must  be  adapted  to  your  con- 
ditions ;  that  opportunities  to  minister  to  the 
needs  of  the  people  of  this  city  must  always 
be  accepted.  Thus  will  you  stimulate  and 
perpetuate  the  life  of  this  parish. 

To  do  all  this  we  must  not  blind  ourselves 


35 

to  the  need  of  larger  endowment,  in  order 
that  the  work  may  be  carried  on  vigorously ; 
and  more  insistent  still  is  the  need  of  a  parish 
house  fully  equipped  and  adapted  to  meet 
the  conditions  of  our  present  life,  with  its 
temptations,  hurr}r,  thoughtlessness,  crimes, 
loneliness,  and  friendlessness;  a  house  placed 
in  the  very  tide  of  the  rushing  life  of  our 
city,  which  may  and  shall  mould  or  correct 
and  control  the  careers  and  destinies  of 
men  and  women  who  would  otherwise  be 
but  the  flotsam  and  jetsam  of  life,  hurled 
and  dashed  about  by  its  swift  tides  and 
left  at  last  stranded  and  shattered.  "With 
its  endowments  and  a  faithful  band  of  intel- 
ligent and  zealous  members,  the  parish  can 
still  be  successful^  sustained  and  enabled  to 
do  its  full  share  of  duty." 

But  all  this  is  conditioned  on  the  absolute 
need  of  anchoring  the  church  just  where  it 
is.  It  must  adapt  itself  to  its  environment, 
it  should  by  no  means  move.  In  many  places 
the  old  churches  have  followed  their  congre- 
gregations  and  sold  the  old  building  and  site. 
But  all  the  past  of  this  parish  seems  to  me  to 
be  a  pledge  that  it  will  not  be  moved,  as  it 
ought  not  to  be.  As  Bishop  Clark  said  of 
this  church  here  in  1879  :  "Such  a  landmark 
as  this  ought  never  to  be  removed.  Let  it 
stand  in  the  very  midst  of  all  the  turmoil 
of  traffic,  to  remind  men  that  their  life  con- 


36 

sisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things 

which  they  here  possess.     The  very  walls 

of  the    building  where    we   have    so   often 

prayed  together,  where  we  have  welcomed 

the    new-born    immortal    to    the     fold    of 

Jesus,    at    the    baptismal    font,    where    we 

have    knelt    at    the    altar    and    taken    the 

eucharistic  bread,  and  where  we  have  sung 

the  funeral  anthem  over  the  cold  remains 

of    our     fathers,    our    brethren,     and     our 

children,    these    very    walls   seem  to    press 

upon  us  as  though  they  would   not  let  us 

leave     them.      The     graves    of     the     dead 

whisper   to   us,    'Abide    in    your   place   till 

you  are  called  to  join  us  here." 

May  then  this  church,  so  richly  provided 
with  "all  the  accessories  for  worship  in  the 
beauty  of  holiness,   continually  find  mani- 
fested here  the  beauty  of  holy  worship,  and 
may  it  ever  stand  here  on  this  corner  in  these 
busy  haunts  of  men  as  the  unchanging  sym- 
bol of  the  divine  presence  and  the  divine 
power  in  this  erring,  restless,  and  sorrowing 
human  life  of  ours,  to  endow  and  bless  it 
with  comfort,  strength,  and  peace.     May  it 
one  hundred  years  hence,  when  we  all  here 
today  shall  be  gathered  to  our  fathers,  be 
found  filled  with  its  worshipers  offering  the 
same  prayers  and  singing  the  same  hymns, 
and   may   they  hand   down   to   generations 
after  them   for  their  inspiration   the  same 


37 

words,  of  the  Psalmist  we  have  here  used 
today:  "Walk  about  Zion  and  go  round 
about  her,  and  tell  the  towers  thereof,  mark 
well  her  bulwarks,  set  up  her  houses,  that 
ye  may  tell  them  that  come  after." 


PHOTOMOUNT 
PAMPHLET  BINDER 

Manufactured  by 

SAYLORD  BROS.  Im. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
Stockton,  Calif. 


1012  00164  4410 

■i 


